Prime location? Check. Unique decor? Check. Fully booked rentals? That depends. It’s one thing to have the perfect recipe for a successful vacation rental, but making it stand out in a sea of luxurious hotels and picturesque Airbnbs can be a challenge. Let’s dive in and read on about the best ways to make a vacation rental business shine and get more bookings.Â
How to Make a Vacation Rental Stand Out
Emphasize Unique Home Features
Property owners should seize the opportunity to dazzle prospective tenants by highlighting their home’s most unique features. Visitors can tell if the flooring is made from an expensive oak, or that the columns take root in Italian architecture. The more accurate the description is from the online listing, the more guests will most likely match with the keywords guests are searching for.
In addition, remember that pictures are worth a thousand words, so invest in professional photography. Quality photos go a long way to enhance storytelling, adding more validity to the claims, and trustworthiness of the vacation rental.
Focus on Guest Comfort
Prioritize guests’ comfort to create a good reputation and stand out with positive reviews. Most people prefer a stress-free vacation and are particular about reading reviews before booking a place to stay. If the property is listed online, the chances of both positive and negative reviews from previous guests can be seen. Occupancy rates can be affected if the guest experience is far from what they have expected. Being a responsive host and promptly responding to complaints can encourage guests to leave positive reviews and refer their friends and family. Bay Property Management Group of Northern Virginia suggests welcoming guests with a welcome package to make guests feel special.
Allow Transportation Services
Enhance the rental experience by helping guests with transportation as one of their biggest concerns. Local transportation can be a struggle for some guests since most of them aren’t locals. However, owners can gain a competitive advantage by offering to streamline their travel logistics from departure to arrival. While you can seek out partnerships to get discounted rates for your guests, the convenience of the offer alone can make your business more customer-friendly.
Add the Right Amenities
Adding the right amenities can help Improve the comfort of the temporary tenants. While some landlords are satisfied with furnishing their apartments with only the barest minimum, vacation rentals need more charm. After all, who wants to go on holiday where they can’t get a cup of coffee? So stock up on essential appliances such as coffee makers, dishwashers, and washing machines. Adding high-speed internet is an important amenity in a vacation rental to attract guests who want to catch up on work emails or stream the latest shows.
Importance of Continuous Communication
- It Enhances the Experience
Set up a continuous means of communication to enhance the customer experience. When running a vacation rental, owners are expected to be on call 24/7 to address the tenants’ concerns or issues, since the last thing you want is to ruin a family getaway due to a minor inconvenience. On the flip side, landlords attentive to their guests are more likely to get them to extend their stay, return for another visit, or gain a trusted referral.
- It Improves Your Reviews
Boost the rental’s reputation by creating a channel for guests to reach you. Even when the Wi-Fi goes out or the water stops running, if you’re quick to resolve the issue, guests are more likely to report it positively, as long as it doesn’t happen frequently. An attentive property owner can encourage new guests to continue their stay and leave positive ratings.
- It Reduces Vacancy Rates
A good landlord has to always budget for vacancies, however, you can also ensure they are few and far between. Continuous communication doesn’t have to begin with tenants that have already signed a lease, you should also pay attention to potential renters asking questions. Giving prompt answers to inquiries about the rental could be the difference between staying booked as competitors can steal prospective guests.
Conclusion
At the end of the day making a vacation rental stand out boils down to your customer service. When we look at the tips we examined in this article, including adding the right amenities, allowing transportation services, and focusing on guest comfort; it’s all about optimizing your tenant’s experience. Even when highlighting your home’s best features, owners still need to curate the right words to fit into what potential guests are looking for in a vacation rental.
Remember to prioritize continuous communication to enhance the overall experience of your guests. Being accessible will improve your reviews and reduce your vacancy rates. Lastly, another way to make your vacation rental stand out is to hire a professional property manager allowing you to enjoy more passive income while maximizing your profits.
